A Wexford woman’s voice for a greener lifestyle!
Karen Winkens is a friend of mine. She’s married to Zeno, an architect who thought in terms of positive environmental impact long before it became fashionable to do so, whom I’ve known almost for the past forty years. Karen is a woman of principle and a very talented blogger on all things green. Three and a half years ago the couple went to an awards ceremony where Zeno was to win an accolade for his environmentally sound house design. On arrival some guests were asked what they felt our government should be doing to promote awareness and action towards a greener future and I think Karen surprised herself by the strength of her views and the ease with which she articulated them. As she heard herself relayed to the assembly on a big screen in the course of the evening the seed of her blog was born and from shortly after that Green jamjar, a monthly ode to the joys and the prudence of living closer to nature, has gone out to those with ears to hear.
I love Green jamjar. Mizz Winkens never fails to be thought provoking and informative, passionate and witty. Each installment allows us to share the successes and flops, the joys and, above all the unmitigated enthusiasm, for a life lived closer to nature. You’ll find information on foraging and renewable energy, recipes (you mean to say you’ve never tried making your own elderberry elixir, a boozy berry cure for colds) , ways to be inventive with new uses for stuff we ordinarily throw away without a second thought (like your own tree ties from inner bicycle tubes) and gardening tips (compost tea for hungry soil or why kohlrabi is an ideal starter veg if you’re new to growing).
Add to this news updates on local and national resources for ‘greening’ our lives as well as insightful comment on green politics and you have a wellspring of information both on the bigger global picture and the small but rewarding ways that we can all implement our own personal ‘green agenda’ every day! It’s no wonder that Green jamjar won the 2014 Irish Blog Award in the Green/Eco blog category!
As we struggle to take the tough message that thoughtless consumerism is truly ‘the road to global perdition’ on board this is a message that needs to take hold in all our lives if we’re to undo some of the damage we’ve already inflicted on the planet and look for a more sustainable road ahead. Karen’s message, like that of anyone with a green conscience, is simple : learn to be resourceful and use the gifts that nature offers and be grateful for them. Take pleasure in the natural world and it follows to want to have as little negative impact as possible on it. This all sounds very lofty and admirable (and it is) but Green jamjar doesn’t take itself too seriously either, it’s still the ongoing tale of one woman’s funny and joyful ‘green adventure’. And if Karen chose to make Green jamjar a platform to sell more than her ideas and thoughts one day that might not be a bad thing either.
If this is news to you why not take a look today and become a follower? I really think you might get something from Mizz Winkens monthly musings!
